This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text.
Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original
book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not
illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ...red by the fires of his
range, had suddenly become ghastly white; so great was his terror
that his legs shook under him, and he had the wild eyed look oE a
drunken man. "You would send us to the guillotine, would you,
miserable aristocrat?" he screamed in his fury. "Come now, be off
with you, and never show your face here again You need not think
you are going to involve me in your conspiracies." At the same time
the pastry-cook attempted to take from the old lady the little box
which she had thrust into one of her pockets. She had scarcely more
than felt the touch of the man's audacious hands upon her garments,
however, than the stranger, preferring, rather than lose that which
she had just bought and paid for, to brave the perils of the way
with no protection save God's, recovered the agility of youth. She
darted to the door, threw it wide open, and vanished from the sight
of the husband and wife whom she left trembling and confounded. As
soon as she found herself once more upon the sidewalk the old lady
pushed ahead with the best speed she could muster, but it was not
long before her strength began to leave her; for she could hear the
snow creaking under the heavy tread of the relentless spy close at
her heels. She was compelled to stop, he stopped also. Whether as a
result of the great fear that she was laboring under or from lack
of intelligence, she dared not look at or speak to him. She resumed
her way, walking less rapidly; the man accommodated his steps to
hers in a manner that enabled him to keep her within sight. One
would have said he was the aged woman's shadow. The bells were
announcing the hour of nine as the silent pair again passed St.
Laurent's Church. It is true of all natures, even the weakest, that
violent agitation...